Dear Marmite
Big question... where has this year gone? I cannot believe that we have got to Christmas time already. Some days and weeks seem like they have dragged by yet the whole year has whizzed. It has been lovely seeing the seasons change and that is something I missed in Singapore.
Danielle, Shadow (dog) and I went up to St Andrews to visit the rest of the tribe. It is a 500 mile drive north to a warmer place surprisingly. As Danielle is very pregnant we fitted a number of wee stops on the way. Sammi lives five minutes walk from the beach so we took the dogs there each day. On one particular visit there were a large number of surfers bobbing up and down in the sea. They looked like over-sized black birds. In all the time I was watching, only one person managed to ride a wave.
This has led me to the conclusion that every single person in the water that day must be slightly mad. They choose to do an activity - surfing - but don't actually surf. They sit around on boards bobbing up and down on the waves in sub Arctic waters of the North Sea for pleasure! At least I get to hit a ball in sub zero conditions which means at least I am playing tennis. In my mind this makes me less crazy than surfers by quite a margin. Sammi apparently surfs - or sits on a board in very cold water - so I see this as definite confirmation of his mental deficiency.
On the Christmas front, I am really not sure what is happening. Boris - the people pleaser - has said that we have new rules for Christmas where people from three different bubbles can mix indoors with the windows and doors open. In the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere this most likely won't happen. The windows will be closed surely - otherwise the turkey won't be the only thing frozen.
Over the five days of Christmas celebrating, I could be in contact vicariously with half of England. If two bubbles join up with me, they could have rubbed shoulders with up to four other bubbles each previous day. Some have described this Christmas relaxation of rules as a potential killing spree. The double-speak, the lack of clarity, the failure of any clear leadership over here are all factors contributing to the high death toll.
For all the sense it makes we could be talking ibble obble black bobble, leading to hubble bubble toil and trouble with bubble oh seven being James Bond in a bath. The government messages are no clearer. At least this temporary blip in sanity will only last from 24th to the 28th December before we then have to rethink how to see in the New Year without hugging everyone in arm's reach.
I am currently living in a tier 2 area with high infection rates and school closures. God alone knows what will happen after Christmas. The vaccine is here and I have already had an email that over 80s can get it. To be honest, they should start with front line workers - bus drivers, NHS, shop assistants - anyone who comes into contact with lots of people. I am happy to be at the back of the queue here. One little thing that happens in MK is the food deliveries are robots. They don't need vaccines.
So today I am busy getting ready for Christmas - a bit of shopping, a bit of cleaning, a swim, tennis and a quiz. I have plans for Christmas... they could turn into me pulling a cracker with myself and eating a turkey big enough to feed the street by myself at worst but I don't anticipate that. Christmas Card 2020
Life is tough in retirment as you well know, Marms. Miss you as always
Love
XXX
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